School-desk



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(No Model.) G. MUNGBR.

SCHOOL DESK. l No. 354,870. PatentedDec. Z1, 1886.

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(No Model.)

GQMUNGBR.

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SCHOOL DESK.

- Patented Dec. 21,1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE MUNGER, OF EAST RIVER, CONNECTICUT.

SCHOOL-DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patient No. 354,870, dated December 21. 1886.

Applicationled April 12, 1886. Serial No. 198,528. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE MUNGER, of East River, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented anew Improvement in School-Desks; and I do hereby' declare the following, when taken -in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full,- clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a perspective View of the desk, showing the top as droppedv and the seat as thrown back, the parts being in the most contracted position; Fig. 2, a perspective view showing the top raised and theseat thrown out for use. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 7 illustrate the adjustment of the top to di'erent positions;

Fig. 6, a modification in device for engagingv the rear edge of the top; Fig. 8, a vertical central section of Fig. 1, showing the seat thrown out in brokenlines; Figs. 9, 10, 11,12, and 13, v

detached views, enlarged, for the better illustration of the invention; Fig. 14, a rear view of the desk, part of the top broken away; Figs. 15 and 16, a modification in the mechanism for engaging the arms.

This `invention relates to an improvement in that class of desks which are designed for school uses, and such as are usually Xed to the floor, the object being to adapt the desktop to different inclinations and elevations, according to the requirements of the pupil; and it also relates to the construction of the seat attached to the desk, and which is designed to accommodate the pupil of onedesk in front of the desknext in rear, the object of this part of 'the invention being to adapt the -seat to be thrown out of the Way when not required for use, so that the pupil may conveniently stand behind thedesk, or make 'clear' passage between desks; and it consists in the construction, as hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claims.

A represents one upright, and B the other, (here represented as of wood5) vbut it will be understood they may be of metal or any suitable material; C, thefront, which forms the back of the seat for the pupil in the nextdesk in front.

Across the top is a stationary horizontal ledge, D, rfor ink, or Whatever it may be desired to rest thereon, E, the top of the desk, which is hinged to two arms, FF, about midway of the width of the top, the arms themselves being hung to the uprights upon pivots c, the pivots being in axial line with each other and so that the arm may be turned up or down upon the pivots, according as the top E of the desk is adjusted, the top itself readily turning in the hinged free ends' of the arms, and so that the top may be turned down against the uprights, as seen in Fig. 1, or adjusted to the different positions indicated in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7, or otherwise, as may be required. Between the uprights and below the ledge D a shaft, G, is arranged, 4the axis of which is parallel with the pivots a on which the levers are hung. The shaft extends through one or both ends, preferably the right-hand end, as indicated in Fig. 2, and so as to form a handle by which the shaft may be rotated bythe person desiring to adj ustthe top. l The hub of the arms F, as seen in Figs. 11 and 12, is constructed with several teeth, b, c, and d, (more or less,) and so that the shaft G Will-stand in the path of the teeth as the arm is raised or lowered; but in the shaft a notch or recess, e, is cut in the plane of the teeth, and so that as the lever is raised the teeth may engage the forward edge, f, of the notch and impart a partial rotation to the shaft. shaft G is provided with afcounterbalancingweight, H, the tendency of which is to hold the shaft in its normal condition, and so that the forward edge or shoulder, f, of the recess e will stand in the path of the teeth on the arm. If, then, the arm standing in its down position, as seen in Fig. 11, be turned upward, the

first tooth, b, will engage the shoulder f on the shaft G and will turn the shaft, as indicated in broken lines, until the tooth b has passed thatshoulderf. The1,under the reaction ofthe counter-balance, t-he shaft will be returned,

bringing the notch between the toothV b and the next tooth, c, as indicated in broken lines, Fig.

Thel

11. Then,if the arm be left free,the first tooth, b,

will come to a bearing against the shaft, asindicated in broken lines, Fig. 11, and as seen in Fig. 12, and so that the. return or fall of the IOO arm is prevented, and it will be firmly supl ported in the position indicated inrFig. 12,

which is inclined to about the required in`- f' i clination for a school-desk top. Then, if the y arm be again raised, the next tooth, c, willengage the shoulder of the shaft and again turn the shaft until the shoulder may escape therefrom and return between the tooth c and the next tooth. Then the tooth c will bear against the shaft and hold the arm in the position indicated in broken lines, Fig. 12; but when the shaft is engaged to support the arm in the elevated position, the arm may be released by turning the shaft, to bring the recess into the path of the tooth, and as indicated by the position of the shaft in broken lines, Fig. 11, and while the shaft isin this position the arms may be freely turned up or down.

On the axis of the arms a hook, g, is hung, and so as to rotate on said axis in a plane at right angles to the axis, and the said hook adapted to enter a corresponding opening in the rear edge of the desk-top, as seen in Fig. 9, and when so engaged the rear edge of the top is held fast to the arm; but when the hook is turned from .the recess in the top, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 9, then the top is free to be turned upon its hinge-connection with the arms.

In the ordinary work of the school-room the top is turned up, as seen in Fig. 2, and in broken lines, Fig. 9, and there, the arms being caught by the shaft, as before described, the desk-top will remain. Other and longer hooks, h, are hung upon the same axis a as the hooks g,

. and, like the hooks g, swing in a plane at right angles to the axis upon which they are hung, and preferably the two hooks are made integral the one with the other, and so that their two ends stand in the same plane, and so that the hooks may be turned from the position seen in Fig 9 to that seen in Fig. 10. As before described, and represented in Fig. 9, the hook g is engaged with the upper edge of the top when in the down or closed position. To adjust the top to a flat or horizontal position, as indicated in Fig. 10, the hooks g are disengaged, so as to permit the rear edge of the top to be raised from the arms, its front elevated by bringing the arms up to the next toothed engagement of the shaft, and then the hooks are turned into the position seen in Fig. 10, bringing the hook h into the same hole or recess in the rear edge of the top as was before engaged by the hook g, as seen in Fig. 10.

It is frequently desirable to turn the desk to a greater inclination as a. book-holder, as seen in Fig. 5. To do this while the arms are engaged in either of the positions to which they may be adj usted, the hooks being disengaged from the top, the top is free to be turned to any desired angle, as indicated in Fig. 5; or if it be desired to bring the top of the desk to a lower position the top and arms may be raised until the arms are at the required elevation. Then the top E may be turned forward and down beneath the arms andbethereby'supported below the arms, las seen in Fig. 3, instead of above, as in Figs. 2 or 4; or by dropping the arms the top may be brought to a lower position, as seen in Fig. 3,'broken lines, or to still lower, as seen in broken lines, Fig. 5. When thetop is turned down to its place of rest, as seen in Fig. 1, if it be desirable to reach the book-box I, beneath the desk, the upper edge of the top may be readily turned toward the pupil, as indicated in Fig. 7, to expose the box. i

WhileI prefer to employ the shaft G with its notches e to engage the teeth of the arm, the engaging device may be in the form ofa pinion,

J, (see Fig. 15,) the teeth extending but par- 4 tially around its periphery, and with a like counter-balance, H, to return the pinion. In this case the hub of the arm F is provided with teeth, which will engage the teeth of the pinion J, and as the arm is raised will engage that pinion and turn it, say, one point, as lindicated in broken lines, Fig. 15. The pinion then escaping from that tooth, the pinion returns. The tooth so escaping will come to a bearing against the untoothed portion of the pinion, and be there supported, as indicated in Fig. 15, and successive spaces between teeth,as seen in Fig. 15, will adapt the arm to be adjusted to different angles. Then to return the arm to its down position, it is first raised to its extreme Y position, and in so doing the teeth on the hub of the arm engage t-he teeth of the pinion, and turn it upward to meet the arm until they rise to a position seen in Fig. 16, where the pinion may escape from the arm. Then the pinion will return by the counter-balance, as indicated in broken lines, and bring a portion of the pinion into a position where the teeth of the arm may cape the pinion. Thenthe arm maybe returned. This device will make the adjustment automatic and dispense with the handle or projection of the shaft.

If the adjustment of the desk is to be made below the arms, as in Fig. 3, or the top is to be left free to be turned, as in Fig. 5, the engaging deviceas the hooks-may beomitted.

Instead of the hooks hung as described, the engagement or interlocking o f the rear edge of the top may be made by any suitable device--sayasbyabolt. (SeeFig. 6.) Itherefore do not wish to limit the invention to securing the desk to the rear edge, or to any particular device for securing it, if such security be required.

L is the seat, which is arranged to come into position forward ofthe desk, and so as to accommodate the pupil next in front, and that this seat may be thrown out of the way when not required for use, I hang it upon links M N beneath, the lower end of the links being hung to the uprights, as at i, and the upper ends hung to the seat, as atl, and so that the seat may be turned backward or forward, the said links maintaining the proper relative plane of the seat, and so that when thrown forward, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 8, the seat will stand in position for the occupant; and to support the seat in that position a stop, m, is fixed in the upright, against which the link M will bear, or' the seat thrown backward, the link N will come against the same stop and IlO ' seat.

I am aware that adesk-top has been composed of two arms hung to the fixed portion ot' the desk, and with atop hinged to the free end of said arms, with devices to support said top in various positions, and therefore do not claim, broadly,such device.

I am also aware that automatic devices have been arranged to engage the arms upon which the top is fixed when the top is' raised, and I therefore do not claim, broadly, such devices. Neither do I claim, broadly, the seat of a school-desk hung so as to be turned backward out of the way when not required for use, as such, I am aware, is not new.

I am alsoaware that seats, broadly considered, have been hung upon parallel links `on independent pivots, so that the seat may be turned backward or forward without materially changing its horizontal plane, and do not therefore broadly claim a seat so hung.

-I claim- 1. In a schoolsdesk, the combination of the two arms F F, hung by one end to the fixed portion of the desk, with the top E hinged to the free end of said arms, and hooks gh, hung upon the same axis with the said arms, and so as to rotate in a plane at right angles to said axis, the rear edge of the said top having a recess into which the nosesof said hooks may enter to hold the top in predetermined posi-. tions, substantially as described.

2. In a school-desk, the combination of the arms F F, hung by one end to the fixed portion of the desk, with the top E hinged tothe free end of the said arms, and a shaft, G, parat lei with the axis upon which the said arms are hung, the said arms at their hub constructed with teeth, the said shaft constructed with a recess, forming a shoulder, f, in the path of said teeth, the said shaft having a counter-bal p ance, substantially as described, and whereby in the raising of the said arm the teeth on the arm, coming in contact with said shoulder, will impart a partial rotation to said shaft, and the counter-balance return the said shaft after said shoulder shall have escaped from the teeth so turning it, substantially as described.

3. In a school-desk, the combination of the two arms F F, hung by one end to the fixed portion of the desk, with the top E hinged to the free end of the said arms, and the mechanism, substantially such as described, to engage said arms and hold them at the desired elevation, with hooks g, hung upon the axis of the arms, adapted to engage corresponding recesses in the rear edge of the top, substantially as described.

GEO. MUN GER. 

